Local crushing and screening equipment manufacturer Osborn has secured its first export order from China for a modular plant that will be used at Xinjian Bayi Iron & Steel’s Dunde iron-ore mine.

Osborn marketing director Martin Botha states that the ground-breaking R20-million export order “is a reflection of the quality of Osborn’s equipment”, adding that Osborn won the contract amid stiff competition from leading global players.

“One of the main reasons why Osborn was able to secure this contract is that we build strong robust machines that work well in the iron-ore application. The exchange rate helped as well, as it enabled us to offer more competitive pricing,” he says.

The Osborn modular plant – which Botha says will replace a locally made kit at the Chinese operation – comprises a primary Osborn jaw crusher, a secondary cone crusher, a screen and a tertiary cone crusher.

With a capacity of 300 t per hour, the Osborn plant will produce a nominal –12 mm product.

Osborn has partnered with a China-based company that will undertake the manufacturing of the plant’s conveyors.

“This order is the latest in a series of sales that Osborn has netted – locally and further afield – for its South African-designed and -built modular crushing and screening plants,” says Botha.

He adds that the company recently supplied modular plants to several South African mines and operations in Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Namibia.

“New and existing customers are recognising the value of Osborn’s modular plants. They are easy to build and are mounted on skids, making them easier to set up. They are also easy to transport and re-erect on a new site,” he explains.

Botha further notes that these plants are designed to fit into containers when they are dismantled.

“There is less civils work involved and cus-tomers also recognise that Osborn’s machines are more robust and wear resistant,” he says

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